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Recipe video above. This is essentially a streamlined version of Tachin, the iconic Middle Eastern saffron rice cake with its signature crispy crust, baked, then inverted like a pie. Here, I skip the flipping, use ingredients you can find at regular stores, and it's a large format that serves 10 yet takes little more effort than Bolognese.The top gets crispy, the meat layered inside is fragrant with Middle Eastern spices, and the rice is vibrant yellow with the distinct perfume of saffron. If saffron threads are out of reach, use imitation powder instead. Though it won't smell the same, you’ll still get vibrant yellow colour!PS. DO NOT SKIP THE LEMON YOGURT SAUCE! (Please, please🥰) See Note 5.
View original recipe on recipetineats.comFilling: sauté onion and garlic, then cook lamb. Add spices, tomato paste then eggplant and water. Simmer 8 min until filling thickens. Saffron rice: grind saffron, soak in hot water. Mix with yogurt, oil, eggs and salt, mix in par boiled rice. Layer in pan with lamb, drizzle, bake 50 min until top is crispy. Slice and serve!
Preheat oven to 200°C/400°F (180°C fan-forced).
Toast pine nuts - Heat a large non-stick pan (30cm/12") over medium heat. Add pine nuts and toast for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until they have golden brown spots. Remove into a bowl and set aside.
Cook meat - In the same pan, heat the oil over high heat. Cook the onion and garlic for 1 1/2 minutes. Add lamb and cook, breaking it up as you go, for 5 minutes until you no longer see red.
Spices - Add the baharat, cumin and salt. Cook for 1 minute, then stir in tomato paste. Add the eggplant and stir to coat in the flavours until you no longer see any white eggplant flesh.
Simmer - Add the water and bring it to a rapid simmer. Lower heat to medium high, then simmer for 8 minutes, stirring regularly, until the filling is thick enough that you can draw a path across the pan and it holds in place. The eggplant should be mostly cooked through (cooks more in oven). It's now ready for use (can use hot or or cool).
Soak saffron - Grind the saffron mostly into a powder in a mortar and pestle (Note 4). Add hot water and leave for 5 minutes+ to soak.
Parboil rice - Bring a large pot of water to the boil with the 1 tablespoon of salt. Add rice and boil for 5 minutes, stirring every now and then. Drain well in a colander. (The rice is only partially cooked, it finishes cooking in the oven).
Yogurt mixture - Whisk together the yogurt, saffron water, oil, eggs and salt in a large bowl (or used rice boiling pot). Add rice and mix to combine - it will be pale yellow (becomes brighter once baked).
Assemble - Spread half the rice in a 23 x 33cm / 9 x 13" dish. Spread over all the lamb mixture then sprinkle with pine nuts. Dollop remaining rice across the surface then spread.
Bake - Drizzle over the extra virgin olive oil. Bake 50 minutes until the top is golden around the edges.
Rest 10 minutes in the pan then cut. Serve with Lemon Yogurt Sauce.
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